Big News: Exciting Adventures Ahead

In these times, everyone with big news has to do the obligatory online update, right? I wanted to share this milestone endeavor personally with friends, family and close colleagues first, though. Now that those nearest to my heart are aware of what’s in store for me, I’m sharing here, in this blog post, with the world.

It is with mixed emotions that I’m leaving my position of director, integrated communications at Elizabethtown College after Commencement; my last day is May 22 (and I have lots to accomplish until then, so all is business as usual!)

Since 2010, I’ve passionately told the Elizabethtown College story in a variety of mediums. And what a wonderful story to tell—our people, our campus, our students! I could not be more grateful for such a fantastic, inviting and comfortable place to work and, more specifically, to be a vital part of such a talented, vibrant marketing and communications team that, together, worked on exciting and revolutionary projects, inside a dynamic office, with a leader who gave me freedom, flexibility, and plenty of growth opportunities. During my time at Elizabethtown, I earned my MBA through its School of Continuing and Professional Studies. So even though I am leaving my official post in the Office of Marketing and Communications, I will always be a Blue Jay. (And you can bet I’ll still be tweeting along!)

My career soared to a new level while at Elizabethtown College; here, I blossomed personally and professionally. I have represented this great institution (and the exciting things we’re doing) at many speaking engagements, and through industry articles and even a few books. This fondness for and connection with Elizabethtown and the greater higher education community has made this decision difficult, but, ultimately, I am ready to pursue personal creative endeavors that have been on the back-burner way too long.

What’s Next?

A couple things….

Creative Pursuits

There’s another side to me that’s been overshadowed by my dedication to a fast-paced, busy career in the marketing and communications world, most recently in the higher ed arena. I’m a creative writer who, admittedly, hasn’t done much writing in the past several years. That spark came back this year, most notably after a three-day, solitary writing retreat where I got 15,000 words and pages and pages of research into a new project. That accomplishment invigorated me, and put a near-permanent smile on my face. A few months prior to that, while reading a collection of Ray Bradbury essays on writing before bed, I had a brainstorm of my own. I got out from under the covers, and I sat at my keyboard and watched words flow out of me like never before. By 3 a.m., I had the first draft of a short personal essay. I then used essay rewriting to give me some feedback. I was proud of something I wrote (outside of work) for the first time in a very long time. That essay and that start into a young adult novel project—both of which have received incredible feedback from writing friends and a critique group—was ultimately the catalyst for me deciding this was the time to, as trite as it sounds, follow my dream.

I was moved to tears not because of what I wrote, but because I wrote it.

It’s time to focus on this part of me. It’s a big leap of faith. But the first step in this new journey is giving me more time and flexibility instead of trying to “squeeze writing in” when I have “time” – that was not working, no matter how many strategies I tried. Anyone with a knowledge-based job like me will attest that the work never ends; it’s always on your mind even when you don’t have to be physically present. I do understand that a bold move like this is hard for some to grasp: why would anyone leave a cozy full-time job, where they are paid well, have good benefits, enjoy great perks, work with wonderful colleagues toward a noble mission and are in the perfect position for their skills and talents? Why? Because I want to, that’s why. Because we only live once, that’s why. Because happiness matters, that’s why. (I have no time for naysayers!)

I know many creative people who have taken leaps of faith like this and are doing just fine—they are not starving artists. These folks, and they know who they are, have been a big inspiration to me. I’ve also done a ton of reading last year and, for some reason, the books I chose were meant for me to read at this very time in my life. So in addition to inspiration in real life, I have Austin Kleon (Show Your Work and Steal Like an Artist), Greg McKeown (Essentialism), Ian Leslie (Curious – actually a Jan. 2015 read), Paul Smith (Lead with a Story) and Charles Duhigg (The Power of Habit) to thank. Additionally, I owe my newly reignited reading habit to Jon Acuff, who challenged people in his 2014 Empty Shelf Challenge. Coincidentally, just a few weeks ago, his latest book was published. It’s called Do Over. Perfect timing, Jon.

As you can see, I have a great support network, near and far, virtual and real, for this move: most importantly, my husband Kevin. I am SO incredibly lucky to have him in my life, especially because I’m well aware that others often get their hopes and dreams squashed by a significant other, parent or friend because, they’re told, winning bread wins out over baking up dreams. We’re both prepared to conserve and reallocate resources because we both understand that living a dream is better than just living. (That’s my new mantra.)

But that said – I will need to supplement my income a bit.

Introducing an Independent Creative Professional for Hire

When I returned to college full-time in my mid-20s, I left my full-time job to fulfill that dream (again, that was a good hunch to follow! I never stopped learning since then, and I can’t imagine where I’d be if I hadn’t given myself time to focus on school!), so to get me through that time in my life, I was a full-time freelancer. It worked out then, and now, more than a decade later, I have so much more to offer.

I’ll be taking on select project work (content and copywriting; and storytelling, social, and content strategy consulting) for higher ed, community benefit, and small business clients—as well as personal branding services for individuals. Over the course of the next month or so, a larger portfolio of my work will be available online. This part of my big move is not just to bring in money; it also will help keep my marketing and writing skills sharp—I’m well aware that I might return to the working world at some point! It’s super important to keep up with an ever-changing industry.

I rented a co-working space at Warehouse210 right in the heart of downtown Lancaster. I did this so I have a place to go – getting out of the house will be important to my success and productivity. This space is where I will focus on my creative and freelance writing.

(Edited to add —->) I also plan to remain active in the higher ed community in a few ways. I’m on the HighEdWeb conference committee this year, and I will be in Milwaukee at the annual conference. I’m also super excited to be presenting a writing workshop there called Words, Words, Words: How to Write Sizzling Content. I plan to still blog, when I can, for LINK and other higher ed web outlets.

Announcing the Opening of an Online Store

Finally, this is an endeavor that will take a while to get off the ground, but I’m relaunching an idea I had (and started briefly) back when I worked in eCommerce. With my life-long fascination with sleep and dreams and long-time interest in running an online store, Kevin and I agreed this is a solid idea to nurture my entrepreneurial spirit. It’s called The Dream Drawer, an online store selling items that help people sleep and dream better, things like sleep masks, earplugs, lavender items and travel pillows. We’re working mostly with small vendors, and we have a built-in social responsibility element to the business. The store is up and running in a soft launch phase; things will really get moving in June. But feel free to browse around now; just pardon our dust as we stock and test.

Other Good Stuff

My baby, the online literary magazine, Hippocampus, has been growing by leaps and bounds. This new shift in my life will allow me larger blocks of time to focus on this. The next several months will be very busy as we are in the final stages of planning for HippoCamp: A Conference for Creative Nonfiction Writers, slated for Aug. 7-9 in Lancaster, Pa. This event will bring some incredible writers and speakers, including Lee Gutkind and Jane Friedman.

I’ve also started doing yoga and meditation, which has been so freeing. It’s the first time in a very long time that I’ve been able to fully quiet my mind. Come to think of it, that mindfulness and mental clarity could have very well contributed to my realizing it was time to take a leap.

I am so excited about this change in my life. I’m looking forward to filling up blank pages, sharing my expertise to help others grow personally and professionally, and diving into the challenge of running an online store in today’s super-competitive marketplace.

Above all, I’m excited to have more time to be me.

 Have you done something similar and have advice to share? Leave a comment below!

P.S. How you can help: A few people have already asked if I need anything during this transition, so I thought I’d share a few small ways. 1) If you think I’m a fit for anyone you know in need of a writer for a short-term project, I’d appreciate a referral. 2) If we’ve worked together and/or if you’ve seen me present, I’d be so grateful for a LinkedIn recommendation. 3) Share news about HippoCamp and/or The Dream Drawer if it’s relevant to your network. 4) But, really, most helpful is this: a smile and moral support goes a long way!